Frederick denjstette



F. DENNETTE.

RAILWAY SAFETY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION man MAR. e. 191s.

Patented June 24, 1919.

FREDERICK DENNETTE, 0F HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS.

`rmILwAY sAEETYisYsTEM.

Specicatonof Letters Patent. Patented June 24, 1919.

:Application filed March 6, 19718.4 Serial No.`22`0,823.

To @El whomz't may concern." i y Be it known that I, FREDERICK DENNETTE, a ,citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Hyde Park, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented` new and useful Improvements in Railway Safety Systems, of which the fol lowingis a specification. y y y This invention relates to asafety system for railways and the like andmore particu-v larly to a block system for preventing col-` lisions. Mechanism carried by a train is -arrano'ed to be controlledb conditions alonO C: h

the trackway `affecting` the safety` of the train. The tram mechanism may be employed to operate the throttle, the brakes,-

signals or other devices, and` it is prefer ably arranged both to close thethrottle and to set thebrakes when the trackway is ob structed. i

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a safety system which is simple in construction `and reliable in operation, which will prevent trains running too close together, which will stop a train when approaches another` train too closely, which will permit the trainmen` to reverse the train after being stopped but whichl will prevent the trainmen from proceeding after being` stopped until valve mechanism beneath the train has been reset, and which affords other novel advantages hereinafter appearing.

Inthe accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 isa plan view of a trackway and associated apparatus;` i a i Fig.` 2 is aside elevation of train mechanism for controlling the throttle, parts being shown in section; y i

Fig. 3 is a top plan view ofthe mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4: is a side elevation of a train valve adapted to be operated by members dis-` tributed along the trackway;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the train valve viewe'd from the right of Figfl;

Fig. `6 is a vertical, longitudinal, central` Fig. Sis a diagram showing therelation ship of the `various parts of the mechanism` carried by the train.

In the p articular' embodiment of my inv`en tion illustrated in' the drawings the trackw ay,

itA

comprising rails 1 andZ, is divided into aplurality` of blocks B1, B2, etc., each block being` divided into'two` sections S1 and S2, the por-` tions of the rails of the respective blocks and sections being insulated from one another in any suitable manner. Distributed at` intervals along the trackway in association with recurrent sections are actuatingmembers A, A, etc., whichare arranged to actuate traincarried mechanism when in operative position and to clear the train-carried mechanism Vwhen in inoperative position. One of these actuating members is associated with each block and is preferably disposed at the junction of the'two sections of each block. The actuatingniembers are rotatably mountedto belswung either into an upright position` shown in dotted lines `in Fig. 7 or into a horizontal position shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 7. A stop Sis preferably mounted on the trackway immediately in advance of the actuating member to stop the member in upright position. i

i The shaft 11 carrying the actuating meinber at its inner ends is provided at its outer end with a gear wheel 5 and the shaft is journaled in an upright member `G disposed on the outsideof the gear wheel 5. Stops 7 and, 8 aremounted on the upright 6 to cooperate with a pin Qonthe gear wheel to stopthe gear wheel when the actuating mem-l ber reaches its upright position and its hor1- zontal position respectively. Journaled in upright are two shafts 10 and 11 which are respectively connected to two motors 12 and l3nt their outer ends and to pinions 14: and 15`at their inner ends, the pinions 14 and 15 being arranged to mesh with the gear wheel 5. The motor 1211s connected across section S2 the train as hereinafter described. The actuating leveryof valve 20 is formed in two i parts, 21 and 22,"the two parts being pivotally connected together atQ. spring 211 Vscrews so as to' engagethe part 22 and hold the two parts in folded relationship as illustrated in F ig. 4. The valve 20`- is mount-` ed on the lower portion of the train so that the portion 22 of the handle ,willengage the actuating member A on theV trackway when the actuating member is in upright position.' lf the actuating. member engages the lever 22 onV the left-hand. side (Fig. 4) the valve will be rotated. However, if the actuating member engages the lever on the right-hand side (Fig. 4) the part 22 will swing about thepivot 23', the friction of the valve pre venting Vthe rotation of the handle 21, so that the valve 2O will not be actuated'.-

The train-carried mechanism also comprises acylind'er 26 and a piston 27 coperatingwithV the throttle lever T or other Suitable control lever on the train. The throttle lever T, as illustrated in Figs. 2. and 3,is of the ordinary construction and comprises a lever 28 pivotally mounted at 29, a segmental A rack 30, a catch 31 pivotally mounted' on the lever k28to engage the rack 30 and hold the throttle in adjusted" position, and a release A. handle` 32y for withdrawingcatch 31 from the Vrack 30 when it is desired' to. actuate the the A the'bolt 38 and swing the throttle forwardly throttle. On the forward: end of the iston rod 33 isl provided a U-shaped yo re 34 whose arms 35 vand 36 extendlalong opposite sides of the throttle bar 3"?. The yoke 34 is connected to the throttle b-ar 37 by means of a 4bolt 384eXtending` through slots V39, the arms 35v and 36', through the throttleJ loar and through the throttle lever 28 (Figs. 2 and The'openingsp39k in the yoke arms 35and 3,6 V slots adaptedto permit the bolt 38 to slide therealong.,V Extending downwardly from the catch 3l through the opening 40 in the yoke 34 is a lever 4l adapted to withdraw andv after continuedgmovement of the piston.A the rear ends ofthe slots 39 engage i thereby shutting offthe propulsive power.

A relief valve 45 is 26 Vto permit air to escapetherethrough when the4 air pressure attains a predetermined value 2and thereby prevent thev pressure eX- ceedi'ng the predetermined value.

' The preferred arrangement of the various aparts. of' my improvedsyst-em which are carried.` bythe train is illustratedin Fig. V8V

where.. T is vthe throttle illustrated. in Figs. 2 and 13... B is the valvefcr controlling the brakesot the train, and R is the lever for reversing the train. VThe valve 20 shown are elongated horizontally to form' catch 31 from therack 30 when moved forwardly. ,i i

kThus when the piston 27 in cylinder 26` Hmoves forwardly the base of the. yoke 34 Y vlirst engages the lever 41. to withdraw the catch 31, the throttle lever being unaffected 'fdpring theinitial movement of the piston provided in the cylinderv in detail in Figs. 4, 5 and (i is disposed in a pipe line 42V leading from the air brake pipe 43 to the cylinder 26. The reverse lever R is connected to a valve 44 disposed in the pipe 42 at a point between the valve 20 and the pipe 43. As shown in Fig. 8 the brake valve B is normally open to admit air to the brake system, the valve 44 is also normally open, but the valve 20 is normally closed so as to cut off the air pressure from the cylinder 26. The valves B and 44 will ordinarily be located in the engine cab along with throttle T, reverse lever R, and cylinder 26, but the valve 20 will be located at a point beneath the train adjacent the trackway so as to engage the actuating members A along the trackway when the latter are in upright position. In order to maintain the valve 20 at a substantially constant distance from the track the valve is preferably mounted on t-he axle of the train or on some other part beneath the springs.

The operation of that portion of the system associated with the trackway is as follows: The actuating members A normally stand in upright position when a train passes along the trackway in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, which is the normal direction of travel. The circuits for the motors 12 and 13 are successively closed by the wheels and axles bridging the two rails. 'lVhen the train enters the first section S, of a block the circuit 19 for motor 13 is closed, thereby rotating the actuating member into horizontal position. This is the inoperative position of the actuating member and when in this position the train passes over the member without the member engaging the valve lever 22. When the train has passed entirelyinto the second section S2 ol a block the circuit 17 for motor 12 is closed, thereby throwing the actuating member into upright position. Owing to the fact that the motors 12 and 13 are connected to the actuating member in opposition,the actuating member is unaffected when both motors are ener gized simultaneously.- The actuating member A is therefore not thrown from horizontal into upright position until the train Vhas entirely left the first section Sr Inasmuch as the entire train must pass the unction. between the two sections before the actuating member A is thrown into upright position, the control lever 22, if placed on any car of the train will pass over the actuating member before the member is thrown into upright position. However the lever 22 will usually be carried by the engine.

Thus in the normal operation of the system. cach. of the actuating members normally stands upright in operative position, is thrown down into inoperative position when a train enters a block and is thrown up into operative position after the train has passed entirely into the second section of the block.

However, should`the second section `Szof the block be obstructed by a train or other obstruction the actuating member A is not thrown down into inoperative position upon a train entering the first section for the following reason. The circuit of motor 12 would be closed by the train in the second section of the block and the closing of the circuit 19 by the train entering the irst section would be ineffective to operate the actuating member for the reason that the motor 1-8 would "be opposed by motor 12. Actuating member A would therefore remain in operative position and lupon the train reaching the junction between the two sections the actuating member would engage the lever 22 to open the valve 20 and stop the train. l; i

The operation of theV portion ofthe sys tem carried by the train is as follows: hen the valve 2O` is closed as is normally the case, the throttle T may be operated in the usual manner, the piston 27 not being carried forward or backward `with the throttle and being unaffected by the air pressure in the brake system inasmuch as the valve 2O is closed, and the brake valve B may be operated in theusual manner to operate the brakes. However, when the valve 2O is open, by engagement with an actuating member A as above described, air pressure is admitted to the cylinder` 26 thereby closing the throttle. After the valve 2O is opened the throttle T can not be operated by hand inasmuch as the pressure behind the piston 27 is so determined as to prevent such operation. The relief-valve 4:5 is so set that the pressure in the brake system will fall to such a value as to apply the brakes but `will not fall to such an extent as to permit the throttle T tobe operated by hand. Thus the train will be stopped when the valve 20 is` opened and the train can not be started aheaduntil the engineer dismounts and closes the valve 20 which, as

above stated, is beneath the train. However, the train can be reversed while the valve `2() is open in the followingmanner:` When the reverse levervR` isthrown into reverse posi,- tion the valve Lellis closed thereby cutting olf thecylinder 26 and closing the airbrake system so4 that vthe brakes are` released,1 and so that the throttle can be `actuated to back the train, `However,` the train `can only be moved backward and not f forward since `the pipe 42 `will be opened when the reverse lever is thrown into the normal position shown in Fig. 8. In reversing the `train the valve 20 willwnot be closed upon engagement with member `A because `of the joint 23 in the valvelever above described.

If a train or other obstruction is present in the second sectionof theblock the train entering the second section will be stopped as above described and ordinarily will back `into the first section to `wait until the second inoperative position, means formthrowing the respective members into inoperative position when approached by a train, and means for throwing the respective members into operative position after being passed by a train, said secondmeans being connected with said first means so as to render the first means inoperative when the track is ob-` structed. i

r 2. A railway safety system comprising a trackway divided into sections, actuating` members associatedwith recurrent sections so as to actuate ltrain mechanismewhen` in operative position and so as to clear train mechanism when in inoperative position, means associated with the respective sections preceding the said members for throwing the respective members into inoperative position ,when approached by a train, and means associated with said succeedingrseo tions for throwingthe respective members into operative position afterbeing passed by a train, said second means being arranged to render the first means inoperative when a succeeding section is occupied by a train. 3. A `railway safety system comprising a trackway divided into-blocks, each block being divided intotsections, an actuating member associated with each block so as to actuate train mechanism when in operative position :and so asto clear the train mechanism when in inoperative position, means responsive to the presence of a train in one of said sections for moving said member into operative position, and means responsive to the presence of a train in another `of lsaid sections `forfmoving said member into `inoperative position, said two rmeans being opposed to each other so that said member is not moved when a train enters one of said sections `if a train is present in the other of said sections. i f4, A railway safety system comprising an actuating `member disposed `along the trackway so as to actuate train mechanism whenin operative position and so as to clear the train mechanism when in inoperative position, motor means for operating said member, an electric circuit connecting said means with one section of the trackway to move" said member into operative position when aztrain is entirely in thefsection, and an electricalVv circuit connecting said means with4 a succeeding' section of the trackway to moveV said'r member into: inoperative position when a train is entirely in the latter section.

5i. A railwayk safety sys-tem comprising anfactuating member 'disposedl along the trackway so as to actuate train mechanism when in operative position and so as to clear the train mechanism when in inoperative position,- motor means for operating saidk member, an electrical circuit connecting said means with one section of the trackway tomove said member into-operative i position whenia train is entirely in the section, and an electrical vcircuit connecting saidmeans with another section V of the trackway to-move said member into-inoperativeposition when a train is entirely in f the`r latter section, said circuits being connected tof the motor means-dilferentially so as to be inoperative to move said member when trains arein both of said sections at the sameV time'.

6. A railway safety system comprising a trackway divided intoblocks, each block being divided into sections, an actuating member associated with` each block so as to' actua'te train mechanism when Vvin operative position Vand so as to clear the train mechanism when in inoperative position, motor means for operating said mem-ber, an electrical circuit connectingsaid means with one of said sections to move said members intov operative'position when a train is in the section and Awhen the othersec'tion is clear, andi an electrical circuit connecting .said-means with the other of said' sections to move said memberv into inoperative position when'a train is inthe latter section and when theformer section is clear.`

7. A railway safety system comprising a trackway divided into blocks, each block beingv dividedi into sections, an actuating' memberv associated with each block so as to acltuate traink mechanism' when' in operative position andso as' to clear the train mecha- 'nismv when "in inoperative position, V'a motor connected to saidl member to move the member `into operative position, a second motor connected to lsaid member to move the member into inoperative position, andcircuits respectivelyfconnecting said motors to said Y ysect-ions so as to energize the motors when trains are present insaid sections, said motors being connected' to said member 1n opposition so thatthe member remains un- 'moved when both motors are energized.

8. railway safetyrsystem comprising a trackway' 'divided 4into blocks, each block being divided into', sections, an oscillatory member associatedJ with each Yblock so as to o actuate train mechanism when in operative position and so as to clear the train mechanism when inoperative position,y a gear wheel for oscillating said member, two motors respectively connected to said sections so as to be actuated by the presence of trains` in theV sections, andi lgears connecting said motors tov said gear wheels iny opposition, whereby said member is moved into operative position by a train entirely in one section and into inoperative position by va train entirely in the other section and is unaffected by a train entering one section when av train is present in the other section. 9. A railway safety system comprising a train control lever, a segmental rack, a catch pivotally mounted on said lever for engagement with said rack and provided with a downward-'ly "extending arm, a cylinder, a .piston in saidy cylinder, a rod connecting the piston with the control lever having a bifurcated yokeupon its forward end embracing said arm, a pin and slot connection between said controllever and said yoke whereby uponv initial movement of said piston, said catch is withdrawn from said rack and upon further movement ofsaid piston, said lever is operated.

10. A railway safety system comprising a train control lever, a reverse lever, track actuated means for throwing said control lever to the stop position and locking it aga-inst movement, and means under control of said reverse lever for unlocking said control lever whereupon said control lever may be moved to the run-ning position only for the purpose of reversing the movement of the train.

l1. A railway safety system comprising a train' control lever, a reverse lever, track actuated pneumatic means for throwing said control lever to the stop position and locking it against movement, and means under control of said reverse lever for unlocking said control lever whereupon said control lever may be moved to the running position only for the purpose of reversing the move- Vment of the train.

'said connection whereby said control lever is actuated andmain-tained actuated by pressure in said cylinder, and a second means under control of said reverse lever for again Vclosing said connection whereby the pressure is released to permit movement of said vcontrol lever to reverse the movement of the train.

' 13. A railway safety system comprising actuating means distributed along the track- Way at intervals so as to actuate train mechanism when in operative condition and so as not to actuate train mechanism when in '1noperative condition, means for placing the respective actu-ating means in inoperative condition When approached by a train, and. means for placing tbe actuating means in operative condition after being passed by a f train, said third means being associated with said second means so as to render the second means inoperative When the trackWay is obstructed by a train.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this nineteenth day of February, 1918.

FREDERICK DENNETTE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. G. 

